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Sorry to bump an old thread, but this is exactly the issue I'm having, and it's different from the regular dash rattle.
The black plastic trim piece surrounding the clear plastic cover for the gauges is rattling. This trim piece is highlighted by the red arrow below - it encircles the whole gauge cluster:
There are two screws/clips that seem to hold this trim piece in place - these are highlighted by the white arrows. My thinking is that if I tightened those, it would hold the trim piece tighter and eliminate the rattle. In fact, if I apply pressure in the following manner, the rattle goes away. If I hold the top of the black trim piece with my thumb while clamping down with the rest of my hand on the top part of the dash, it goes away. This pressure is obviously preventing the trim piece from rattling. Here's a pic showing the pressure I apply on the top of the gauge area to eliminate the rattle:
The problem I see with tightening the screw/clips is that some people are saying they're screws and can be tightened, and others are saying they're clips and don't actually tighten when you turn them, they just spin in place. Can anyone speak to this? Has anyone fixed this particular rattle by tightening those screws/clips, or is there a different fix?
Have a look at a look at one post back, which would be my post. If you can put some form of cushioning (like felt as per the TSB), to prevent the plastic to plastic contact, that would be able to dampen/elinimate the rattle.
In my case, the rattle had to be addressed twice for the cluster. The first time, got rid of most of it but still rattled. On the second time, they put more felt and the cluster felt more tight fit, such that, if I were to press around the edges, there are very little freeplay as it would not really press in.
I tried tightening the screws, but it didn't fix the rattle. I was also afraid of over tightening the screws and cracking the plastic surround. I'm sure tightening the screws would not solve the problem anyways, if it did the TSB would say "tighten the screws".
Have a look at a look at one post back, which would be my post. If you can put some form of cushioning (like felt as per the TSB), to prevent the plastic to plastic contact, that would be able to dampen/elinimate the rattle.
In my case, the rattle had to be addressed twice for the cluster. The first time, got rid of most of it but still rattled. On the second time, they put more felt and the cluster felt more tight fit, such that, if I were to press around the edges, there are very little freeplay as it would not really press in.
Thanks for your reply, I saw your earlier post but wasn't clear on exactly where the felt was applied. Does it require removal of parts? Like do I have to take off the plastic trim piece and then apply felt? Are there any pictures of where exactly to apply this felt?
you can't tighten the screws. i had the same problem and i took it on to the dealer. all hey did was put felt around the plastic(a very sloppy job at that). i would recommend just doing it yourself.
Try holding up on the plastic trim that is right above your left leg while driving to see if the rattles go away when you're on a rough road. I had the gauge cluster rattle and fixed it by lining the edge of the lower trim piece with electrical tape and the noise is gone. It's that upper trim piece right next to the bezel and touches the lower trim piece that was causing my rattling noise from the bezel area.
Thanks for your reply, I saw your earlier post but wasn't clear on exactly where the felt was applied. Does it require removal of parts? Like do I have to take off the plastic trim piece and then apply felt? Are there any pictures of where exactly to apply this felt?
Since the fix was performed by the dealership, I do not have pictures to show.
In the service notes, it saids they must of put felt on certain contact points of the cluster as per TSB instructions. Since the first time, it did not address all of the cluster rattle, they then put it on all contact points as per notes. I assume it is the cluster itself or or all points where components meet with the cluster.
Just wanted to post an update here. I was experiencing a very aggressive rattle from the gauge cluster area, and I determined it was the black plastic bezel surrounding the gauges. It wasn't taut, so it was rattling around in place.
I followed his instructions exactly and applied several stacked layers of black electrical tape between the lower dash area and the bottom of the black bezel, where he's pointing to in the picture. I also applied it to the same area but on the right side of the steering wheel. What I believe this does is push the black bezel up, applying pressure so that it no longer rattles.
If you have any questions let me know, but I just wanted to post this for those suffering from it. A quick $5 fix with no tools necessary!
i just brang my is to the dealership today for the same problem except it wasnt the dash because when i followed what the posts said about holding the dash it still makes the noise. im pretty certain its either the drivers side mirror because it doesnt make the noise when its raining. however, i hear it near the door speaker directly next to the mirror. ive already brang it in twice to the dealer and the first time they said it was a wheel bearing issue and replaced the right bearing, which was no where near the area i heard the noise. exactly three days later i heard the noise come back. and ten days later i went back which was today and they took four hours to "replace broken pins on side panel.. im thinking about going back or taking it to another dealer and see if the techs are smarter......
calvin2376... I followed the instructions in the link you provided. WOW!!!!! The sound that has driven me crazy for a while now has been eliminated. THANK YOU!!
calvin2376... I followed the instructions in the link you provided. WOW!!!!! The sound that has driven me crazy for a while now has been eliminated. THANK YOU!!
Glad to hear it! Though I have to credit rog1206 for the original post and bringing it to my attention!
What a ridiculously easy fix for this problem. I'm sure if I'd taken it to Lexus they would have recommended a whole new gauge bezel, cluster, and probably engine for good measure.
I'm quite annoyed that my car's had so many rattles/squeaks, since it speaks to Lexus choosing lower quality materials and designs to keep the 2IS costs low, but if occasional rattles are the only things wrong with the car I'm pretty happy.
How much does the dealer charge to fix this if your car is out of the factory warranty? Tried tightening the screws but they just spin freely. I have an 08 IS 350. :/
Sorry to bring this back up but I bet there are still thousands of people fighting this battle, and would appreciate some more help. I have some info that I feel wasn't completely covered in this thread, and this thread seemed to be the most focused on the same problem I have vs. the other threads that seem to focus on the center console or the trim pieces around the dash.
For me I've found it wasn't clips or bezels. It was a deeper "thunk" kind of rattle when driving over bumps, kind of like a bigger, singular component was moving around. When I apply pressure to all the areas around the instrument cluster it went away, making me think it was everything from the interface of each trim panel, to the trim panel relationship to the cluster surround, to the cluster surround touching the cluster, and the cluster itself. For me it was the actual cluster itself rattling around, and touching just about ANYthing applies just enough pressure to hold that cluster in place. It's not any clips, it's not trim, it's not loose cluster screws and it's not the dash against the windshield. It's the cluster. I first thought it was the bezel so I removed the top half of the trim that surrounds the steering column, lifted it up to reveal that little plastic bar (which is the bottom of the cluster bezel) that runs across the stamped steel braces of the top of the steering column. I wedged some thick dense foam in between the bottom of this bar and the top of the steel and it stopped it; but only for 2 weeks. It came right back. Wedged more in there and it was back within a week. I can now see that it only stopped it because it pressed the bezel harder up against the cluster itself. It's the cluster moving around.
As far as the two little exposed "Phillips" screws you see at the underside of the top of the bezel, those aren't screws. They're plastic trim panel clips and do NOTHING if you screw them in tighter. You can't strip them as they are not only barely threaded, but the clip that they thread in to will flex when you over tighten them, so it's pretty tough to "strip" them. They're there to expand the clip and prevent the clip from moving. It's ok if the threads are damaged, it's just for tension and nothing else Threading them in tighter doesn't tighten the clip itself. Although I wouldn't mind yanking them, putting some felt in between there and threading a real screw into that hole to tighten things up a bit but I know it would be for nothing. That cluster has to come out and be insulated some how. I will tackle this either today or tomorrow and see if I can post any pictures or tips.
Ok, so this is what I did, and it seems to have held up for the past 2 days and stopped the rattling. The stuff used was bits of left over Luxury Liner Pro from Second Skin Audio. In some areas I just wedged it in, and in others I used some foam tape to hold it in place. Here's the places right above the steering column I did.
09-07-11, 08:57 AM
